Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/317

 on the last spurs of the range; low hills which, where they merge into the plains, are formed of sand and convey the impression of old downs. But around Seto-mura these hills consist of Kaeru-me, partly covered with sand or plastic clay. The latter, called Kibushi by the people of Seto, is used to manufacture seggars and common ware, for which purposes it is well adapted, since, beyond the addition of a little water, it requires no preparation for moulding processes. They told me in Seto that the Kaeru-me used there is taken from one place only, which is of moderate extent and lies immediately behind the village. The presence of water prevents deep excavations. But I also learned that Kaeru-me is found in all the hills around Seto, in which case the wealth of the deposit is inexhaustible. The Kaeru-me of these districts consists of clay and quartz granules, mixed sometimes with undisintegrated or partially disintegrated felspar, as is also apparent from the considerable proportion of alkali which the clay contains. Mica laminæ have not been found either in the samples analysed or in the Kaeru-me seen at Seto. The original mineral, therefore, is not an ordinary granite, but a granite free of mica, or a quartz porphyry." Mr. Korschelt also concludes, from an exhaustive comparative analysis of European and Owari porcelains, that the Owari ware must be regarded as a new variety, which finds no exact representative in Europe. It contains, on the one hand, a larger quantity of felspar, and on the other, a considerably smaller quantity of clay substance, than any European porcelain. Great differences exist, however, in the composition of Owari porcelains, the percentage of clay substance varying from thirteen to forty-three, and that of felspar from thirty-four to fifty-nine. The quantities of the constituents of various specimens are shown in the following table:—